“We’ve been working very hard for months to negotiate a deal with the labor unions so no one has to be laid off. Those conversations are ongoing. As we’ve said all along, if we can’t reach an accord, then it would have to be layoffs. It was part of balancing the state budget back in April,” Cuomo said.

“We’re getting closer and closer to the deadline, and notices are starting to go out, but it’s going to be up to PEF. We reached an agreement with CSEA, which is a very large and powerful union, and we reached an agreement and we’re hoping the other unions are reasonable like CSEA.”

Members of CSEA will vote on a proposed five-year contract that includes a two-year wage freeze and furloughs in the first year, before offering a cash bonus in year three and raises in the last two years.

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